Florentin Takeaway. You'll find fantastic falafel and a pleasant pita at Florentin. $14.95 for four pieces of giant fluffy falafel wrapped in a light, fluffy pita. A solid 7.9/10 for lunch, it's a bit on the expensive side. I ordered four $.95 pitas to go. The $12.95 baba ghanoush delivered on flavor but not on value. They charged me an extra pita for the baba, which seemed kinda nickel-and-dimey.
Very good Israeli food, but probably not worth the twenty-minute drive across town for me.
Florentin has an extremely modern and clean feel. With straight lines across your eyesight on the outdoor patio and tables inside, you feel like you're eating at the brand-new restaurant, it is. On a Wednesday afternoon around noon, they had speedy service without any issues. I did note that they had already run out of lamb and bagels. Parking was easy in the dedicated lot on the side of the building.
Florentin Experience Summary
The search for great falafel in St. Louis continues. It's a personal quest. I'd heard whispers about Florentin from Yelp or some buddies (I can't remember which).
So, I grabbed some friends and we made the trek for lunch. And it is a trek. This place is a solid 15-20 minute drive from my house, so it has to be good to head back.
It's tucked away on the north side of the Central West End on Delmar near Made.
We got there on a nice day and snagged a table outside. The service was quick and friendly.
The food? It was genuinely great. My falafel pita was "absolutely fantastic," as I apparently noted in my audio memo. It was packed with flavor compliments, and the pita bread itself was a total superstar.
But here's the rub. As good as it was, my final thought as I was driving home was... was it worth the drive?
It's one of those spots that's so close to being a must-visit. But at $14 for that falafel pita, and with other great falafel options closer to me, it lands in a very specific category. Florentin is the "if I lived nearby" option.
If I lived nearby, it would be my regular, go-to spot for a quick lunch or easy takeout dinner. No question.
But for me, living 20 minutes away? It's just not a place I'd go out of my way to bring family or friends to. It's a fantastic neighborhood joint, but just a bit too far to become my neighborhood joint.
So I'll go the next time my sons want to go to Made.
The Food At Florentin
I went straight for the Falafel Pita. This thing was loaded with deliciousness. It came packed with sauce, pickles, crisp cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions. It was a fantastic sandwich, earning Florentin a very solid 7.9/10 score.
For reference, an 8 is top 20% of food in my opinion, so 7.9 is great.
The falafel itself was very, very good. The patties were nice and big, and fluffy and tender when you bit into them. You could really taste the tahini, which gave it a nice smoky, earthy flavor. As a big falafel fan, this made my taste buds happy.
Now, have I had better falafel in the city? Maybe at Milano Kabob. But this was definitely high-quality.
The pita, on the other hand, was the real showstopper. It was fantastic. It arrived smoky on the outside with a light, fluffy texture and a perfect, chewy middle.
It was so good that I immediately ordered a bunch to go. I think they gave me four for around five bucks, which is a pretty good deal. I do this sometimes at places like Balkan Treat Box, and while this pita wasn't quite at that legendary Balkan level (what is?), it was still really, really good.
I used them for sandwiches the rest of the week.
The only downside here is the price. My falafel pita was $14. Even for St. Louis, that felt a little bit steep for what it was. It's a great sandwich, but that price point might make you think twice.
Florentin Atmosphere And Miscellaneous
The vibe at Florentin is fancy, modern lunch. It was a nice day, so we sat outside, but they have indoor seating as well.
Inside, there's a bar or display counter where you can grab to-go items, which seems super convenient for the lunch crowd.
Service was fine, and I mean that in a good way. It was speedy and easy, and we had no complaints, especially for how crowded it was. They got us our food nice and quick while we enjoy the good weather.
Parking At Florentin
Parking was surprisingly easy. They have a dedicated lot, or you can easily find parking on Delmar.
Florentin Receipt
